


A Saving Angel

by neverendingdevotion



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, M/M, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-07 00:17:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15897048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverendingdevotion/pseuds/neverendingdevotion
Summary: Relax, Newt is twenty in this fic.  There is no underage relations.





	A Saving Angel

It was a glorious spring day in England. Back in America the days had already turned hot until the bright May sun, but here the light was gentle and a cooling breeze blew. Percival Graves was grateful for the chill air, dressed as he was in his finest black suit. He knew he was due to present himself at the Scamander’s front door in about thirty minutes and it wouldn’t do for the prospective bridegroom to be late, but the last damn thing he wanted to do was go and make the final agreement to marry someone he hadn’t met. True, Percival would meet him today, but he would also be expected to sign the engagement documents today, binding him to this Newton Scamander. He felt as if he was being marched to his own execution, a wand at his back.  
By this time, Percival had wandered to the top of a cliff. Before he could stop to enjoy the view, he noticed he wasn’t alone. Standing at the edge of the bluff was a teenage boy, all long legs and angles. Just like any boy, he wasn’t showing any regard for his safety but Percival was afraid if he yelled, the young man might stumble and fall. Before he could decide what to do, the boy jumped.

  
Instinct and auror training kicked in and Percy didn’t even stop to think. He rushed to the edge and looked at the falling kid. Taking his right hand and making a scooping motion, he caught the boy and deposited him not too gently far from the edge. He was at the boy’s side in three long strides.

  
“What the hell were you doing, kid?” Percy barked, regretting his tone when the boy jerked back in fear. “Hey, now, take it easy. I know I did some damn stupid stunts as a teen. What was this, a dare? See how long you could fall before yelling out Arresto Momento?”

  
Percy was confident this boy was a wizard; magic was rolling off him in waves. Now it was tainted with fear and anguish, but amazingly strong. The boy ducked his head, careful not to look Percy in the eye and the older man grinned.

  
“That’s what I thought. You aren’t the only one to try that damn idiot stunt. I broke my leg when I was fifteen trying it, just about your age. Come on boy, I’ll take you home.”

  
Percy held out his hand and was shocked when the boy threw himself away. Lying on his side and curling into a ball, the kids began to sob, his messy red hair falling over his face. What the hell was going on?

  
“Look kid, I’m not going to tattle on you to your folks. They won’t learn anything from me. What, did you drop your wand in your free fall and you don’t want to face the music? Look, I’ll help you find it, just don’t cry.”

  
The boy didn’t have his wand, but from the lack of reaction Percy realized the young man never had it with him.

  
“What, were you trying wandless magic? That was a hell of a risk, kid. I………..”

  
As the boy just continued to sob, the obvious hit him. This boy wasn’t playing a game or answering a dare. Damn it.

  
“Boy, were you trying to kill yourself?”

  
A long, tense silence followed before the kid nodded. He pulled himself into a sitting position and curled up, hiding his face on his knees. It was a posture of such abject despair; Percy knew he couldn’t leave the him. He would never leave anyone, much less a child, in such a state.

  
“What could have happened to make a young man like you with his whole future ahead of him be willing to throw it all away?” Percy gently asked. “Did someone hurt you? Were you abused, raped? If so, I’ll help you……………”

  
The boy shook his head no with such violence Percy was surprised it didn’t fall off. The boy still hadn’t looked him in the eye, but he had stopped hiding his face. Percy saw the frail, delicate features, more beautiful than handsome and his gut twisted at what might have been done to the boy.

  
“My name is Percy, what’s yours?” he offered.

  
When the question was met with silence, Percy lowered himself to the ground. He was careful give the boy space, but at least he wasn’t looming over the kid.

  
“Can you speak? Are you injured?”

These questions set off a strange range of tics and nods. Just when Percy was worried the kid was having a seizure, the boy spoke.

  
“Yes, I can speak and no, I’m not injured. Will you leave, please?” he whispered. Even rough from crying, the voice had a musical lilt.

  
“If I leave, will you try to hurt yourself again?” Percy demanded. The sullen silence was all the answer he needed. The kid was foolhardy, but Percy admired his bravery. Very few would be willing to die, much less take their own life and be willing to try again after the first attempt failed. This boy had much more to offer the world than a useless death.

  
“Why?” Percy asked again.

  
“It was the only choice I had. I’ve lost everything and ……………..”

  
“Do you not have a family?” Percy asked.

  
“I thought I did, I thought they would love me, I thought……………”

  
Percy wanted to sigh in relief. This was just a family squabble. He could take the boy back to his folks and there was no harm done.

“I imagine your family does love you. If I take you back and say I saved your life, they will welcome you with open arms.

  
“They will send me away…"

“Never kid. Look if they do, you can come with me. I work at Macusa in America and we always need brave young men. So, either way, you’re safe.

  
Before Percy could begin to doubt his own sanity, the boy looked him in the face.

  
“You think I’m brave. I’m a coward, I tried………..”

  
“I know very few people who are brave enough to face death, let alone embrace it. Whoever you are, you don’t lack courage.”

  
The boy sat as if pondering Percy’s statement, and then he nodded and stood. He looked a fine sight, dirty with a tear streaked face. Percy took out his pocket handkerchief and with a wave of his hand wet it with cool water.

  
“Here kid, wash your face off. You don’t want to go back to your folks looking like that.”

  
As the boy scrubbed away the dirt and tears, Percy magicked away dirt from the boy’s clothes until he looked presentable. The clothes were of an expensive cut, the kid’s parents must have money.

  
“Now, let’s go back. Remember, you’re brave enough to face whatever is waiting,” Percy assured him.

  
The boy took off walking and Percy followed, keeping a careful watch so the kid didn’t try to take off again. He was going to be late for the Scamanders, but he’d think of an excuse. Helping this poor waif was more important.

  
As they approached the large house, Percy felt the first tickle of apprehension. They were walking through the back gardens of an enormous house. How many large houses could there be in one area?

  
A woman was standing in the middle of the garden, a frantic look on her face. When she saw them walking towards her, a smile of relief replaced the fear.

  
“Newt, darling, so you found Percival? I’m delighted you are now acquainted.

 

As they walked into the house, Percy saw the boy trembling. He walked beside him and whispered in his ear.

  
“Nothing will happen without your consent,” he reassured Newt and Newt nodded.

  
Waiting inside was a tall, gruff looking man who was no doubt Newt’s father, Perseus Scamander. The look of anger was enough to quell any kid’s heart and Percy placed a protective hand on Newt’s shoulder. When the older man noticed the two of them, he grinned.

  
“Well, the introductions are out of the way. Welcome to England, Mr. Graves. Now, I believe we all have some papers to sign?” the older man boomed out. Why was he in such a hurry to get those papers signed?

  
“I would like a few moments to talk to Newt in private please,” Percy said. “Nothing worth doing should be done quickly.”

  
Mr. Scamander grimaced and Newt jerked. Percy felt the tension in the young man’s lean body. This was going to be stopped.

  
“Of course, Percival,” Mrs. Scamander chirped. “You boys sit here and take tea and become better acquainted.” With a look that Percy would have found comical in any other circumstances, she hurried her husband from the room.

  
It took only a flick of Percy’s hand to create a barrier around the room to block sound. Any attempt to eavesdrop and he would know. He looked over at Newt curled up on the sofa.

  
“Did you try to kill yourself because your parents were forcing you to marry me?” Percy asked. He already knew the answer and it sickened him, but he wanted to hear the truth from Newt himself.

  
“All my choices have been stripped away, Mr. Graves. I had only one choice left and I took it,” Newt answered.

  
There was hollowness in that voice that broke something in Percy’s heart. He looked up and found the boy gazing at him. In those beautiful, green eyes there was deadness, as if the spirit behind them was broken.

  
“Again, I say you are very brave, Newton Scamander. You faced what you believed was your only choice with determination. My offer stands. You can stay with your parents or come with me. We can marry or not, the choice is yours, but I promise you I will not force you to do anything you don’t want to do. You have my word.”

  
“Then, I want to marry you, Mr. Graves.”


End file.
